English
Italiano
Title: Lost Tapes Vol. 10 bis Antigona
Group: Banda di Bitonto conducted by Mauro Fanelli
Year: 1979 © 2023
Graphic: 3Heads Agency
Recorder: Radio One, Franco Leo Archive
Discover, digitalization, sound track selection, editing: Livio Minafra
Mastering and restoration sound engineer: Gianluca Caterina
Label: Angapp Music – It
Produced and financed: Livio Minafra
In 1974, Maestro Mauro Fanelli initiated the first (and only) transcription of Antigona by Tommaso Traetta and Marco Coltellini for Banda. The fantasy he conceived consists of a selection of arias and recitatives that unfold over the course of about an hour. It should be noted that the Banda fantasy, as conceived by Alessandro Vessella and Ernesto Abbate, does not take into account the temporal structure of the opera but rather creates a joyful arbitrary potpourri. The title, for some unknown reason, differs from Sophocles’ tragedy in that both Traetta and Fanelli changed the final vowel from “e” to “a.” It became Antigona instead of Antigone. Moreover, Antigona is an important work because Traetta, influenced by the French style of the time and diverging from the Italian musical landscape, contributed to spreading the reform ideals associated with Gluck. Antigona premiered for the first time in St. Petersburg in 1772.
On the other hand, the first and only Banda performance took place five years later, on November 26, 1979, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Tommaso Traetta’s death. It was held at the Teatro Traetta in Bitonto and was recorded by Radio One of Bitonto. Fortunately, the recording was preserved by a tenor trombone soloist and historian, Franco Leo, who, however, did not participate in the performance. The soloists involved were Vincenzo Ciliberti on flugelhorn, portraying Antigona; Domenico Castellano on soprano flugelhorn, playing Ismene; Cataldo Valerio on tenor flugelhorn, as Creonte; and Cataldo Maggiulli on baritone flugelhorn, performing as Adrasto. It was also the first time that the legendary Trio delle Meraviglie had the opportunity to play together and effectively meet: Ciliberti, Valerio, and Maggiulli.
Soloists:
Vincenzo Ciliberti sopranino flugelhorn, Antigona
Domenico Castellano soprano flugelhorn, Ismene
Cataldo Valerio tenor flugelhorn, Creonte
Cataldo Maggiulli baritone flugelhorn, Adrasto